Tamoxifen (1-p-.beta.-dimethylaminoethoxyphenyl-trans-1,2-diphenylbut-1-ene), represented by the structure ##STR3## is a well known antiestrogenic compound which is useful for the treatment and prevention of mammalian breast carcinoma. See, The Merk Index, 11th Ed., 1430 (1989). Although tamoxifen is quite efficacious in the treatment/prevention of this disease, it is known to induce certain uterotrophic effects which can be detrimental to the tamoxifen patient. It, therefore, would be beneficial if a pharmaceutical agent was available which would maintain or improve the antineoplastic activity of tamoxifen while minimizing or eliminating the uterotrophic effect of tamoxifen.
Thus, the present invention provides a method for inhibiting mammalian breast carcinoma via the concurrent or sequential administration of certain naphthyl compounds with tamoxifen, or certain tamoxifen analogs, while minimizing the uterotrophic effects frequently induced by the administration of tamoxifen alone.
As used herein, the term "inhibit", or a derivative thereof, is defined to include its generally accepted meaning which includes, for example, prophylactically treating a mammal from incurring hormone-dependent breast carcinoma and treating established hormone-dependent breast carcinoma. As such, the methods of the present invention include both medical therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment, as appropriate.